Chapter 1: The Empty Seat
“*Nobody came for you? Not even your parents?*”
Brianna said it loudly enough for the people around the graduation photo backdrop to hear.
Aaliyah Carter kept smiling.
It was the kind of smile people wore when cameras were pointed at them. Teeth showing. Chin lifted. Eyes bright.
Only her fingers betrayed her.
They tightened around the edge of her diploma until the paper bent slightly.
Beside Brianna, Tasha covered her mouth, laughing.
“Girl,” Tasha said, shaking her head, “you really came alone?””
Aaliyah looked toward the courtyard entrance.
Students in navy, crimson, gold, and black gowns moved through the bright afternoon sunlight. Families stood everywhere. Mothers fixed graduation caps.
Grandfathers held phones above their heads. Little brothers chased each other between folding chairs.
There were bouquets everywhere.
White roses.
Yellow tulips.
Huge balloons spelling CONGRATS.
Aaliyah saw none of it.
She was looking for one person.
Her father.
“My dad said he'd be here,” she said quietly.
Brianna tilted her head.
“Did he?””
“Yes.””
“What time?””
Aaliyah checked her phone.
2:17 p.m.
The ceremony had ended nearly twenty minutes ago.
“He said after the ceremony.””
Tasha laughed again.
“That's what you said ten minutes ago.””
Aaliyah looked at her.
“Tasha.””
“What?””
“Can you not?””
Tasha raised both hands innocently.
“I’m just asking.””
“No, you're not.””
The smile finally disappeared from Aaliyah's face.
Brianna stepped closer, blocking her path toward the photo line.
“Relax. We're joking.””
“You've been joking since freshman year.””
“And you’ve been sensitive since freshman year.””
Aaliyah swallowed.
Four years.
Four years of late-night study sessions. Part-time jobs. Cheap coffee.
Textbooks bought secondhand. Falling asleep over accounting spreadsheets. Calling her father from the library when she wanted to quit.
Four years.
And today, all she wanted was one photograph with him.
Her father had promised.
That promise had been made three weeks earlier in the kitchen of their apartment.
He'd been sitting at the table, reading something on his phone.
“You better not miss my graduation,” Aaliyah had said.
Marcus had looked up.
“Miss it?””
“Yes.””
“Baby, I wouldn't miss it if the building was on fire.””
She had laughed.
“You promise?””
“I promise.””
Then he'd reached across the table and tapped her forehead.
“You walk across that stage, I'm going to be the loudest man in that whole building.””
She had smiled.
Now she stood in the courtyard alone.
Brianna glanced toward the entrance.
“Maybe he got busy.””
Aaliyah's jaw tightened.
“My dad doesn't get busy.””
Tasha snorted.
“Everybody gets busy.””
Aaliyah looked down at her phone again.
No missed calls.
No text.
She opened their messages.
The last thing she'd sent was a photograph from the ceremony.
*I did it.*
Marcus hadn't responded.
That was strange.
He always responded.
Even if he was working, he answered.
Sometimes with a simple heart.
Sometimes with:
*That's my girl.*
Aaliyah locked her phone.
“I’m going to wait.””
Brianna shrugged.
“Suit yourself.””
Aaliyah moved toward the edge of the photo area.
Brianna and Tasha joined the line.
A photographer called out.
“Next group! Right here!””
Aaliyah stood several feet away.
She watched families squeeze together.
She watched fathers straighten their daughters' caps.
She watched mothers wipe tears before the camera flashed.
Then she saw an elderly man holding a bouquet.
His daughter ran toward him.
He opened his arms.
Aaliyah looked away.
Her throat burned.
She blinked quickly.
Not here.
She wasn't going to cry here.
Not because of them.
Not because her father was late.
And definitely not because Brianna wanted to see her fall apart.
Brianna glanced over.
“You sure you don't want to join us?””
Aaliyah forced a smile.
“I'll wait for my dad.””
Brianna smiled back.
But there was something cruel behind it.
“Right.””
Tasha leaned toward her.
“Keep telling yourself that.””
They laughed.
Aaliyah stared at the campus entrance.
Then her phone buzzed.
Her heart jumped.
She pulled it from her gown pocket.
One new message.
Not from Marcus.
From an unknown number.
*Are you still at the graduation courtyard?*
Aaliyah frowned.
Before she could respond, another message appeared.
*Don't leave. Your father is almost there.*
Her breath caught.
She looked toward the entrance.
Nothing.
Then, across the courtyard, a black sedan slowly turned through the gates.
Aaliyah couldn't see the driver.
But she recognized the car.
Her father's car.
And suddenly, the smile Brianna had been waiting to destroy returned to Aaliyah's face.
Only this time, she wasn't pretending.
Because the sedan wasn't stopping where families were supposed to park.
May you like
It was heading directly toward the graduation photo backdrop.
And someone was sitting in the passenger seat whom Aaliyah had never expected to see again.